Buck has been a household name in the knife making world since 1902. And in that time they’ve produced a myriad of folding knives, hunting knives and many others. I have had this knife since the early 1980s and I still carry it when camping or hiking. In fact, the 119 happens to be Buck’s number one selling knife.

In this instance, Buck’s fixed blade hunting knife is sleek yet deadly with its 6-inch single-edged “clip point” blade made of 420HC with a 10-1/2” overall length and weighs in at 7.5 ounces. In its sheath, the overall length is 10-7/8”. The blade has a “blood groove” in the top half and is about 1-3/8” long. This is to allow the blade to be pulled out (once inside of an animal) with more ease and lessening any suction. The handle looks like black onyx but I found out that it’s actually rugged phenolic while the butt end and guard are aluminum. The butt end is slightly elongated to protect part of the hand and might just double as a thumping weapon. I like that there’s a band of black in the blade guard and the pommel. Once nestled in its sheath, the combo reminds me of some military bayonets & sheath designs. I do like that with my large hands, my hand fits well between the blade guard and the butt end. The black phenolic has slight ridges for my fingers too.

Another thing I like is it’s STILL made in the good ol’ US of A!

The all leather sheath has a snap enclosure to keep the knife in its place and an integrated leather belt loop large enough for up to a 1-1/2” belt. The snap has the “Buck” name engraved in it and once inside the sheath, only the blade guard and the top of the knife (the pommel) shows. Knife and sheath have a sleek silver & black motif to them. The upper portion is attached to the lower portion by way of a rotating rivet. This comes in handy when walking so the knife & sheath don’t get hung up on my leg or other things on the trail.

For as long as I’ve had this beautiful knife, it has stood the test of time pretty well. Other than a few re-sharpening sessions and some minor scratches, this knife still holds its luster pretty nicely.

Buck offers several similar knives in various blade lengths and configurations. Currently, the 119 sells for $85 and a replacement sheath runs $17. I bought my 119 for about $35 back in the 80s.

Find them at buckknives.com

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